The Observer, February 15, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 17
New movies offer Christensen/Jackson rematch, comedic Farrell and Gleeson
Jumper
Directed by: Doug Liman
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Bilson
The American Library Association released a list of the 100 most frequently challenged books of the 1990s, with Jumper by Steven Gould making the list. The film derives its plot from that very same book, but no doubt the movie will take creative liberties with the story. The premise of the film centers on a genetic abnormality allowing a young man (Hayden Christensen) to teleport himself anywhere. He eventually discovers that the gift is also a curse, with a group known as the 'Paladins' bent on killing off the 'Jumpers,' deemed too powerful to exist. Jumper marks the first foray by Hayden Christensen back into mainstream Hollywood film since taking on the role of young Darth Vader in the recent Star Wars trilogy. Questions remain whether he can truly carry a film by himself. If anything, the opportunity to see him paired up against Paladin – leader Samuel L. Jackson (whose character Mace Windu was killed off in an epic lightsaber battle by Christensen's Skywalker in the Revenge of the Sith) offers a reasonably tantalizing scenario. However, heavy marketing and repeat insistence that Doug Liman is the director of Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity does not bode well for the critical or commercial success of Jumper.
In Bruges
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson
In Bruges, only the second film taken on by Irish director/writer Martin McDonagh, comes with some heavy credentials. Set in the Belgian city of Bruges, the story of a botched hit in London by Irish contract killers (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) played on opening night of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, with the prestigious honor of being the first film shown. The movie is generating buzz for showing off the comedic chops of Hollywood bad boy Colin Farrell, who has not had any success in Tinseltown over the last few years. With the underrated talent of Ralph Fiennes as the employer who sends the two killers to Bruges to lay low for awhile, In Bruges will definitely be a witty European action comedy that will have enough sex, drugs, violence, and one-liners for everyone.
